does clay take paint off? How dangerous is it to use? This would be my first time.

[thefork]

How long do you work on one place before moving on? Should there be any paint residue on the clay?

[thefork]

that I never saw before, doubt the clay did it, but stripping the wax probably showed it. Should I GEPC and then wax? There are even some water marks still on the hood. Gonna use GEPC on that. Do you wet the applicator before using GEPC? They aren't swirl marks, and you can only see them under a direct light and you move you head with the light and look closely, is this normal? I treat the damn black car like a baby and cannot believe I have these scratches. It has made me rethink all of my towels which I was dilligent in buying. Also, I was also told never use a orbital on a black car, b/c it always will cause some scratching on a black car. Please advise.

[Troy H]

using it on an older car with enamel (i.e. non-cc) paint. I assume you're talking about your Audi. As for time, work on the area until smooth, shouldn't take too long, clay is pretty effective at doing its job.

As for the wax, if you've got swirls and scratches as badly as it sounds, GEPC and wax alone won't cut it. You'll need to start with a swirl-mark remover like 3M SMR or Menzerna IP, then move to a glaze/polish like 3M IHG or Menzerna FP, and then you can wrap up with the GEPC and a good wax. I know four steps sounds like a lot, but in your car's condition, it's necessary for best results. Let us know how it turns out.